Terror
by sehellys
Summary: a simple scouting mission turns dire for the head of the Turks. Will the Turks and Rufus be in time to safe Tseng? Or will they be the ones that need saving?
1. getting lost

**Terror **

_Disclaimer: None of the persons or settings used are mine, I certainly get no money for doing this, and I think that's about it. _

**Chapter 1: getting lost**

The light was gloomy and dim in the slums, as it always was beneath the shade of the 'big pizza'. But Tseng knew that in a few minutes the streets would be lit by the golden rays of the evening sun as it sank below the higher city. For a short while the slums would be shed in the bright natural blaze instead of the industrial lights that usually bathed the streets in their murky glow. A few precious minutes before the darkness once more claimed the run down streets.

However, the head of the Turks had not come to the slums to experience this fleeting moment of hope for the suffering populace; he had come here for business.

Various rumors of a new group of terrorists had reached the Turks' office. But they were just rumors, vague and unspecific, and his only goal for now lay in assessing their accuracy. Should he indeed find the groups' hideout and consider them a threat, he would have to think of ways to deal with them.

But that was just a possibility for the future and dwelling upon it now might cost him valuable concentration. He had left the office earlier than usual, had indeed even left some paperwork unfinished to take this stroll through the sector three slums. He could have probably send Reno or Rude to check up on the rumors, but the two Turks had already retired home, or more likely to a bar, after a tiring day in the field. And taking Elena with him on what would be but a simple scouting mission seemed improper, considering that she'd have to work overtime, again. Truth be told, the Turk commander liked to stay in training, more than just in the friendly sparring matches with his fellow Turks or the occasional SOLDIER. The polished mahogany table that adorned his office, too often gave him the impression of being confined behind it and its towering walls of daily reports.

Being the head of the Turks certainly had some disadvantages, always worrying about his team members' condition, or their reckless acts was one of them. Having to suffer through Reno's reports and not participating in most of the missions were other ones. Controlling the general affairs of the Turks, coupled with his primary duty as bodyguard to president Shinra and his son certainly claimed enough time as it was.

The sun just started to descend below the outlines of the plate as Tseng drew nearer to his presumed goal. The streets were almost completely deserted, which was unusual for the time of day, yet nothing too remarkable in the vicinity of a Turk. The untainted blue of his uniform was easy enough to distinguish and certainly well enough known to garner 

respect - and fear. Thus it kept most citizens in their houses or made them vacate the street he walked more quickly. The Turks had often found it to their advantage that most people cared little for involving them in their affairs.

Yet the blue suit had its disadvantages as well. It was a perfect target.

A sudden shot rang surprisingly loud through the clear evening air. And before it had fully registered in Tseng's head and kicked his body in motion, the pain hit him. White hot agony flared in his right shoulder and down the length of his arm and the sheer force of the bullet forced his body backwards. Staggering to keep on his feet Tseng's left hand flew up to cover his injury while he fought to not let go of the weapon he held in the other.

Years of Turk training kicked in as he searched his surroundings for his attacker and secure cover. According to the wound in his shoulder, which still bled freely, the opponent's weapon had been a small caliber, probably a sniper rifle. That would also explain why he had not noticed his attacker, more than likely he had stood upon the roof down the street, hidden by the harsh glare of the setting sun.

But if he had indeed hidden there to fire the shot, then he had already left his hiding place. It was likely that he was moving to a better position now, to shoot again, a more accurate shot this time. With no way of knowing where the next shot would come from and the injury hindering his ability to return fire, Tseng retreated into a close-by alley. With the nagging suspicion that he had run into an elaborate trap; he stumbled along the small street.

Blood was still gushing from his wound, sticking to his fingers as he fought to slow the bleeding. But judging from the warmth on his back the bullet had gone right through and he could do little to stem the flow of blood from the exit wound.

His steps grew slower as his feet seemed to get heavier with every one of them.

'The blood loss is getting to me, I'll need cover, and quickly.'

Was it just his imagination or were there footsteps hurrying in his direction? It seemed like the terrorists, or whoever they were, had caught up to him.

'Considering the kind of trail I left, that wasn't too hard', Tseng thought bitterly. Blood spluttered the ground behind him, and by now he was certain that he could hear the footsteps of his pursuers.

But the Turk leader would be damned if they'd get him just like that. Scanning the alley he noticed a couple of trashcans off to one side. Hiding behind them, he leaned heavily against the brick wall behind him. This place sheltered him from two sides, effectively blocking possible bullet paths, should they try and shoot at him again. If they wanted him, they'd have to go around the bins and would thus allow him to shoot first.

If he could get his injured gun arm to work.

The steps were louder now, but more careful, too. They knew they were getting closer to their victim, but being unable to see him; they would not rush headlong into their doom. He could distinguish three or four different walking patterns. With his gun fully loaded that would pose no threat, should they attack together, however, he would stand little chance in his current condition.

His attackers drew ever closer and Tseng lifted his gun, ready to shoot at the first of them, who stepped around the waste bins. The blood on his hand made it difficult to hold onto his weapon and fatigue let his arm tremble, but his aim was true as the first of his opponents appeared. With a loud bang, which resounded from the walls lining the small alley, the bullet left the weapon and hit the man in the head, directly above his right ear.

The stricken man fell to the ground unmoving, his weapon clattering from his lifeless hand.

Silence gripped the alley after the last echo of the gunshot had died away. The terrorists seemed to be too shocked to launch a direct attack. 'Or they plan a new strategy', Tseng thought grimly. Now that they knew where he was he had lost the element of surprise and the trash cans were not that much of a hindrance to them. If they had half a brain, one of them would climb the bins and they'd attack from two sides at once.

Tseng would have no possibility to counter that attack. Now that his opponent's had the advantage he had but one option: attack them while they were still unaware of it.

Grinding his teeth against the pain he pushed himself off the ground and into a standing position, keeping his back against the wall for the added support. His eyes met those of his opponents as they stared at him. Surprise was written across their features before he 

brought his weapon up and, supporting his shaking right hand with his bloody left one, pressed the trigger twice.

Once again the bullets found their targets and the two men joined their fallen companion on the ground.

Tseng slid back down the wall, exhausted. He dropped his weapon to the ground and fumbled through his pockets for his cell phone. He retrieved it at the third attempt, his bloody grasp slipping on the smooth surface. But as he had feared the small device was pretty much useless down here in the slums. The reception was virtually non-existent.

Sighing, he dropped the cell phone as well.

His first priority now was to take care of the wound; he could worry about informing his fellow Turks later. But the fact that he had informed no one about this scouting mission kept nagging at the back of his mind. The sun had already settled below the slum's higher buildings and flickering lamplight had once more claimed the streets. Uninvited thoughts came to him as he started to wonder what would happen if he did not make it back to his office, or at least to a 'cell phone friendly area' before tomorrow morning. Elena would undoubtedly have a fit and he didn't actually want to think about his superiors' reaction. Though, with Heidegger and President Shinra, it was doubtful that they'd miss him at all, at least if Reno hadn't gone and gotten himself in trouble again.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts from those pointless musings the Wutaian refocused them on his injury instead. The pain had ebbed to a dull throbbing, but that was not necessarily a good thing. He had to stop the blood flow, fast.

Reaching forward, Tseng released the straps that bound his hunting knife to his lower leg. Using the weapon to tear the sleeve from his uniform and the shirt beneath it, he could get a first glimpse at his wound. It looked about as bad as he had anticipated from the flow of blood. No major blood vessels had been hit, and he was positive that no bones had suffered either. This way he could at least move his injured arm, even if not much.

It was not an easy task to rip his sleeves to shreds and despite the help of the sharp blade it took him awhile to create the makeshift bandages. Using his teeth to pull them tight, he bound the wound, hoping that they would suffice to stem the flow of blood.

'What now, then?' The head of the Turks knew that with his cell phone out of commission, his best bet to return to the upper plate would be to reach the central pillar. From there he could use the hidden ShinRa elevator back to the main building.

His gaze passed over his opponents. Taking up his cell phone, he reached a decision. He typed a short message and left it with the terrorists. In case someone came searching for him before he had reached the upper plate, this would point them in the right direction.

Getting his feet beneath him Tseng was troubled to find how much strength it cost him to push himself off the ground. When he finally stood once more he was leaning heavily against the wall and suddenly he doubted whether he'd make it back to the central pillar.

He grit his teeth, berating himself for his sudden pessimism. 'No use, thinking like that.' Even his thoughts seemed to become hazy, but he pushed on regardless. It was only thanks to the darkness and the anxiety of the slums populace that he hadn't been found yet. And he did not want to stay around to discover just how much sympathy they would show an injured Turk. He doubted they'd even think twice about killing him.

He barely registered when he pushed off the wall, trying to avoid leaving a trail. He didn't register much at all, solely focusing on setting one foot in front of the other to reach his destination.

But eventually his strength ran out.

Leaning heavily against the closest wall he slowly slid down its length, finally hitting the ground - unconscious.

TBC

_AN: It's been a while since I started this fanfiction and the original plan was to post it only after the whole story was written. But then I didn't find the time or the motivation to continue. So I'm stuck after the first chapter. I thought maybe some reviews might give me the motivation to continue :o) _

_So pretty please hit that button and tell me what you think._

_I dedicate this chapter to my little sister fire.elve, as usual. Take care!_


	2. getting worried

**Terror **

**Chapter 2: getting worried**

The elevator was moving on his painstakingly slow ascend to the higher floors, accompanied by the happy chime that just did not go well with hangovers. Reno stretched his arms against the stiffness in his shoulders. He hoped that he'd arrive at the Turks' office sooner rather than later, before he ripped the speaker boxes off the elevator ceiling – again.

The redhead spared a look at his watch, checking just how late he'd be today. It was no longer a question of whether he'd be on time, but rather if he would arrive before lunch break. But he had completed a rather trying mission yesterday, so he was sure Tseng wouldn't be too angry. He'd probably settle for a look of stern disapproval but wouldn't pursue the matter further. His boss was _that _considerate.

The elevator came to a halt and Reno jumped from the depth of the 'sadistically-cheerful-music-netherworld' before the doors could even open completely. But it was too late. Reno noticed with a start that he had started humming the annoying catchy tone under his breath. Swearing furiously he knew that the song would bug him for the rest of the day.

He hated elevator music.

As he neared the door that would admit him to the Turks' offices he slowed his steps. Reno made a halfhearted attempt to straighten out the wrinkles in his uniform, and then grabbed the door's handle. But something made him hesitate. He got the creeping feeling that something was amiss behind that door. Lowering his hand from the doorknob, he instead pressed his ear against the thick wood. It was hard to decipher the sounds that got through the solid material, but he thought he could hear Elena say something. He could not say whether it was the door distorting her voice or if she actually sounded that … teary.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor behind him and Reno stepped hastily away from the door. However when he turned around to meet the disapproving glance of Rufus ShinRa, he knew that his boss had seen him crouch before the office's door.

Deciding not to wait for Rufus to give him a lecture right there, Reno opened the door, hoping that his fellow Turks would protect him somewhat from their employers' scorn. But the moment he entered the office the search for a refuge vanished from his mind. It seemed as if his feeling had been proven right, there was definitely something amiss.

Elena occupied the far corner and though she tried to stand somewhat straight and give him a stern glare for being late again, she instead gave the overall impression of having a hard time not to break down. Reno briefly thought back over the last few days, he was reasonably sure that he'd done nothing to her for at least two days. When he turned around to face Rude he registered how Rufus entered the office as well. He could practically hear Elena snap to attention but he doubted that Rufus would miss her current bad shape.

His partner seemed to be his usual stoic self. Still, even though it was hard to tell with the ever-present shades hiding his eyes, he, too seemed troubled. Now that was definitely odd.

Rufus cleared his throat and sighed with all the impatience of a bothered vice president. Even though he was most likely the executive of ShinRa who was most fond of the Turks, he would not show that affection openly.

"Well, what seems to be the emergency?"

'Every bit the bad-ass superior', Reno thought. It was quite impressive how easily Rufus's words seemed to drip with disdain, and, the redhead figured, more than enough to bring an already upset Elena off her beat.

Her voice audibly trembled as she answered: "Sir, it's that … Tseng …"

"Tseng is missing." The deep baritone of Rude's voice interrupted her stammering and Elena send him a grateful look. Then again, she was only a rookie after all, it shouldn't have been her call to inform their employer of any problems in the first place.

'Rightfully', a small voice in the back of Reno's mind registered, 'it would be your job'. But the voice was drowned out by a thought, much more prominent.

Tseng, missing?

Reno struggled to come to terms with that simple statement. Their Wutaian leader was an exceptional fighter and an impressive shot - easily the most frightening of the Turks. Despite what most of ShinRa's executives thought, he had lost none of his aptitude after being promoted to the head of the Turks, a job that tended to consist more of paperwork than actual fighting.

Puzzling over the obvious question of what could have happened to Tseng to keep him from showing up for work, Reno only barely registered Rude's more detailed report.

"We can't get a connection to his PHS; he is most likely in a no service area, probably the slums."

Rufus nodded his head to show that he'd listened to the bald Turks statement while he busied himself with going through the neatly piled files on Tseng's desk. Reno was surprised to see that the young vice president fabricated a mess of which the redhead himself would have been proud. The news must have unsettled him more than he'd like to acknowledge.

"What was his last known location, or where was the goal of his mission"

"Sir, he wasn't on a mission." Elena threw in. She had been the last to see the Wutaian last evening. However she seemed very uncertain, fidgeting with her fingers when Rufus's gaze came to rest on her, clearly intimidated. "At least not an official mission", she was fast to add, "But he mentioned something about checking up on some rumors."

"Of course, the terrorists in sector three!"

Only when everyone's head whipped around to face him did Reno realize that he'd made that last statement rather loud and without his usual cool attitude. But he was quick to hide his own insecurity behind his flippant exterior. "There were stories that they'd plan something big, yo."

Rufus frowned at the Turks' second in command: "Why haven't I heard of this before?"

"Tseng didn't belief the buzz and wanted facts to present to the fat man."

Rufus sighed at the usual lack of respect Reno had for his superiors, even though he noticed that it was one of his more uncreative insults for Heidegger. It seemed that even Reno's spirits were dampened by the absence of their leader.

"Very well, what do you know Reno? Give us all the information you have on those terrorists, then we'll set out to find Tseng." Rufus declared, taking control of the situation.

"We? Boss?"

"Yes Reno, I'll accompany you. Me and Dark Nation, I think he'll be useful." From the looks that Rude and Reno exchanged Rufus could tell they were not exactly thrilled by that prospect. "It's not open for discussion."

He was their boss after all; he would not tolerate any arguing on their part. Elena didn't look like the thought to disagree with him had even crossed her mind. But Rude seemed not too pleased with the prospect of taking the company heir into possibly risky territory, even though his face was as impassive as always. However, disapproval radiated off Reno in waves and Rufus was truly amazed that he didn't discuss the matter further.

Instead the redhead started to brief the others on what he'd heard of the rumors and what he knew of Tseng's plans concerning them. When he finished, he reclaimed control of the Turks, ordering his coworkers to prepare for a search and rescue mission in the slums, while he send Rufus on his way to retrieve his shotgun and the loyal panther hound.

About ten minutes later and fully prepared they set out for the sector three slums, determined to find their boss and friend.

Reno studied the blonde vice president beside him. "Alright boss, always stay with at least one of us, yo. Tseng'll kill us if you do something stupid."

Rufus merely rolled his eyes, not bothering to argue. Even if he was their superior, when Reno meant business all debate was futile. And all the Turks took their jobs very serious, even though the whole town despised them for it. One more reason why they were so close, trusting in and relying only on each other. But now one member of their small family had gotten lost.

It was their duty to get him back.

TBC

_**AN: **- whooh finally found some time to update, though actually i should be studying for my exam tomorrow argh. _

_This chapter is dedicated to rivendellelve, who - once again - has been the first to leave a review.thanks_

_ I hope i'll find some time before my next exam (next monday) to finalize the next chapter and post it. And, you know, reviews do help :o)_


	3. getting help

**Terror**

**Chapter 3: getting help**

Reno left the chopper, stepping onto the dirty streets that were so numerous below the actual city. With Dark Nation at his side the redhead took point, careful to guard the vice president while looking for clues which might lead them to Tseng. Or the terrorists.

Reno didn't doubt that the slum dwelling revolutionaries were in one way or the other responsible for Tseng's disappearance. And he would make them pay.

It was hard to imagine that someone would get the better of the Wutaian Turk. Reno knew – he'd tried. As well on the training grounds as that one time in the past, a time that seemed so outlandish - now that Reno was a well paid man in a standard issue blue suit. Yet, he still remembered that day in the slums when had, out of sheer desperation or stupidity, he didn't really know anymore, attacked the strange foreigner with his expensive clothes. He'd been so surprised when neither the element of surprise nor his quick reflexes would win him the upper hand.

It had instead been a rather crushing defeat. And a turning point in his life, as Tseng merely complimented his style and told him to apply for a job in the Turks. Reno had thought he was kidding, but the Wutaian had handed him his card and been on his way. The redhead still remembered how he had stood there, frozen to the spot, doubting his sanity.

Ever since that day, Reno's luck had changed. He'd gotten the job in the Turks, had trained hard and worked even harder, always aiming to become Tseng's equal, someone the older Turk could respect. And despite his trying attitude and his antics - that kept his mind off the gruesome pictures he faced every day, but also ruined his reputation - he thought he had succeeded. And not only his boss, but all the Turks had accepted him the way he was.

He had finally found a family.

But now one of them was missing.

Reno gritted his teeth and tried to dispel the memories and gloomy thoughts. Whoever was responsible for Tseng's current situation would face his fury. No one messed with the Turks and lived to tell the tale.

Fury boiled in his blood, he could feel it creeping through his veins and judging by the way Dark Nation's tentacle kept slicing through the air, the panther hound felt it, too. But Reno didn't bother to try and calm down, his anger would provide him with additional energy.

He would make sure to let the terrorists feel it.

--

Elena was clutching her weapon tightly, careful to stay close to the vice president and ignore his irritated glances in her direction. Tseng had always said that Rufus was difficult to guard, what with his reckless behavior and feeling of superiority. But she would be damned if she let harm befall the young executive in Tseng's absence.

A feeling of dread stole over the rookie Turk as she gazed at the murky streets of the slums. The thought that something or someone down here could have detained or even injured Tseng troubled her.

Her thoughts momentarily wandered back to the last evening. Tseng had been going over the days reports, occasionally muttering dark threats when he read through Reno's last mission statement. Then he had glanced at his watch before turning those slanted eyes of his at her. Elena had almost sprung to attention despite the countless times he had told her to be at ease when in the office.

But he'd hardly noticed, or if he did he hadn't mention it. Instead he'd rested the gaze of his dark eyes on her, undoubtedly noticing the dark rings beneath her eyes that betrayed her lack of sleep in recent days. She had been pushing herself to hard. But he did not comment on that either, instead he had announced that they were finished for the day and that she should go home and rest. And report for duty the next morning, eight a.m. sharp.

But when she had come to work this morning she had been the first one there. It hadn't been the first time that happened. Elena had a tendency to arrive too early, but so had Tseng. And when Rude had entered the office half past eight and Tseng had still not been there they had decided to inform Rufus and wait for Reno before taking further actions. Elena had hoped that Tseng would somehow show up, just a little late, although that was unheard of. But she'd had a bad feeling then that that would not happen.

She had a bad feeling now.

Even though she was the newest member of the Turks and hadn't yet had the opportunity to collect much experience, she was certain that these streets spelled trouble. Tseng had appointed her his partner, both to keep an eye on the new, nervous rookie and to train her more efficiently. Even though the lectures in hand to hand combat just wouldn't pay off, Elena paid close attention to the finer arts of strategies and planning.

This smelled like a trap.

--

Rude was uneasy.

In contrast to his teammates it was hard to tell; he was neither as tense as Elena nor as heated up as Reno, but he was bothered by the current situation all the same.

Their commander was missing and had been for hours, almost half a day. Even without being a Turk, the slums were hostile territory. The odds looked bad. Then again, Tseng had been a Turk for almost all his life, longer than any of them. If anyone could get out of this mess it was him.

Nevertheless, that the Wutaian had gotten into said mess in the first place implied that the rumors which had lured him into the slums were more than true. They had probably even been a part of this well devised trap. There was no telling how far the terrorists had planned this, maybe they had just been lucky to have caught Tseng unawares, but it was also a possibility that they were just waiting for them to make the same mistake.

Anyway it was probably for the best that Elena kept such a close eye on Rufus. Rude imagined that it was hard on the young Turk, her thoughts were probably with their boss. The way she had been smitten with Tseng from the first day was something she'd desperately tried to hide. With little success though.

Rude adjusted his sunglasses, checking his surroundings once more for suspicious activities. From his position at the end of their little troop, he had to make sure that their backs were covered.

But despite all the facts that spelled disaster for the Turks on this rescue mission, their top priority was to find Tseng and bring him home in one piece. The alternative was unthinkable.

--

The three Turks radiated an aura of cold professionalism as they crossed the mostly deserted streets. It was the middle of the day, and those lucky few that had a job in the slums were there, the others stayed indoors or lurked in the small alleys that seemed so omnipresent in these rundown parts of the town. Most of them were silently wasting away beneath sickly tinged street lights.

And now one of their own might be facing the same fate, dying -maybe even already dead- in this sorry excuse of a living environment.

Rufus was not fooled by the Turk's cold demeanor, he new them well enough to see how troubled they were. Over the years he'd grown close to them. To him they were more than the most deadly and efficient asset of the company, more even then an important part of his plan to one day overthrow his father's laughable regime. Somewhere along the way he'd let them become his friends.

Or rather, Rufus had to admit, they'd been the ones to accept him into their family.

That was why he didn't need Dark Nation's sensitive senses to pick up on the waves of anger that emanated from Reno's lithe form, or the barely concealed desperation that drove Elena on.

Yes, the Turks were troubled and there would be hell to pay for whoever was responsible for their current state of mind. Rufus could sympathize. He tried not to think about their reason for being down here in the slums. Instead he watched his Turks closely, all to get his mind of the possible fate of Tseng. His loyal subordinate, trusted confidant and - however much he tried to keep his distance from everyone on an emotional level - dear friend.

The young vice president tore his thoughts away from Tseng, forbidding himself to think of him as if he were lost to them. Instead he focused on the panther hound by his side. Dark Nation had been increasingly agitated most likely due to Reno's close proximity. But when Rufus observed the dark animal more closely he thought he could see a pattern to the way it acted. A pattern he recognized. Dark Nation's fangs were bared and the errant movements of his tentacle kept slicing through the air, probing, hungry.

The panther hound had picked up the scent of blood.

TBC

_AN: not much happening in this chapter i'm afraid, it's more of a character study_. _Please tell me what you think and whether I kept everyone in character. virtual cookies for every review! oh and a virtual cake for whoever finds my shameless highlander quote ;o)  
_

_And thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story so far, you keep me writing and it's thanks to you that I update now instead of learning for my exam tomorrow ;o) wince_


	4. getting hints

**Terror**

**Chapter 4: getting hints**

The afternoon sun burned down on the city of Midgar but none of its rays reached beneath the plate that was the city's upper levels. In the slums the permanent twilight clung to buildings and people giving them a ghostly grey appearance. It was a depressing sight.

But the Turks and their young charge paid little heed to their surroundings, their thoughts dwelled on dark enough issues as it was.

They moved faster now, led by the panther hounds single-minded pursuit of an insubstantial metallic tang in the air. Dark Nation could feel his senses tingling with the intense smell and let out another low growl. If there had been any people still wandering the streets they probably would have fled before him. But the sector 3 slums have always been sparsely populated. The buildings lining the streets were mostly old plants and manufactory buildings, long since abandoned for better locations. Only rodents and human scum lived here now. The sector served as a meeting ground for various gangs a dumping ground for bodies and only occasionally the buildings were used as housing by the truly desperate. But all activity was usually limited to the wee hours of the night.

It seemed as if one renegade group of terrorists had not abided by that rule, but even they were nowhere to be seen.

'A shame', Reno gritted his teeth against the rage bubbling up in his chest once more. His grip around his EMR tightened unconsciously. A meeting with one of the likely culprits for Tseng's disappearance was exactly what he needed right now.

A voice in the back of his head reminded him to keep his cool and not jump to conclusions especially when they didn't even know what had befallen their Wutaian leader. Reno growled at the voice.

In front of him Dark Nation halted in his tracks lowering his head to the ground. The redheaded Turk stepped closer to examine the panther hound's discovery. He was vaguely aware that Rufus followed him once again ignoring Elena who tried to shield him from possible danger. Rude was scanning the surroundings for possible threats and hideouts, textbook really.

Reno crouched on the ground next to the panther hound, gently shoving the regal animal out of the way to assess its findings. There was indeed a splatter of dried blood on the ground, not enough to cause concern but sure sign that someone had been hurt here. It was difficult to guess the age of the splatters but Reno had the unpleasant feeling that they'd been there since sometime last evening.

He looked up from the slightly disturbing sight and crossed eyes with Rufus. The vice president had probably come to the same conclusions; he had after all been trained by the Turks. Learning so much more than the simple self defense his father had told him to get accustomed to.

Rude walked over to them, approaching silently despite his big frame.

"The rooftops", he gestured in the appropriate direction, "the sun sinks behind them." His shades hid his expression but Reno knew what he'd see in the blue eyes of his partner were they not there.

He voiced the inevitable conclusion. "Ambushing a Turk? Man, that's low!"

And the whining was back in his voice along with his obnoxious attitude. There was no simpler way to deal with this situation and no easier way to rip Elena out of her dark musings. Now at least they had an idea of what had happened.

Now they had a target for revenge.

Reno's hand tightened around the handle of his EMR, the gnawing uncertainty finally replaced by the rage he'd been unable to release until now. Now he really needed one of those terrorists to cross his path.

Rufus cleared his throat, effectively gaining all of their attention. He didn't bother explaining his actions as he turned around and followed Dark Nation into a side road. On the outside he seemed as composed and aloof as always but Elena wondered just how much of that was only for show. Not that he needed to project such images in the company of his Turks, who'd do anything to protect him.

Elena suddenly realized that her young charge was halfway across the square and hurried to return to his side. She valiantly ignored Reno's spiteful grin as she passed him. It seemed the redhead's mood was perking up, and so was his insufferable demeanor.

-

Awareness clawed at his senses beckoning him to return to consciousness. There was an overpowering sense of urgency to that demand.

As Tseng opened his eyes he understood the notion. White hot pain blossomed in his shoulder and fiery tendrils of it sneaked down the length of his arm and across his chest. The pain was almost enough to send him back into oblivion.

But he fought against the blackness invading his vision and the cold concrete beneath him soothed his injury. Within minutes the pain abated to a more bearable level and Tseng figured he'd probably jarred the injury while jolting awake.

Trying to avoid a repetition the Wutaian took more time and carefully fought his way into a sitting position. He was grateful to have the house wall at his back giving him additional support as even that little effort left him breathless and in pain.

He took a deep breath to clear the persistent black dots from his vision; obviously he had lost quite a bit of blood. But a quick scrutiny of is wound revealed no further bleeding, the make-shift bandage had held. If he didn't jar his injury too much he would be fine.

As his vision gradually sharpened, Tseng could finally take a better look at his surroundings and appraise his current situation.

He found himself in a back alley, nestled in the nook between two old uneven and bended buildings. Neither windows nor doors opened to this little walkway that was more of a forgotten space than anything else.

The misery that was such a common factor in the slums was everywhere and maybe even more palpable here than back on the small streets. The faces of the buildings were weathered and grey, raw brickwork showing between the patches of crumbling plaster. The whole sector spoke of neglect and adversity.

It's been a long time since an honest citizen had worked, lived or even just walked here.

Usually in these parts of the slums the daytime, illuminated by hints of second or third hand sunlight was darker than the nights when the streetlamps would flood the streets in artificial flickering light; another reason why nightlife and illegal activities flourished everywhere in the slums.

But on small alleys like the one Tseng had chosen as refuge no electric lights would chase away the all encompassing darkness of Midgar's shadow, making them the ideal place to conduct illegal business or meet a sudden painful end. Indeed, these paths were the primary hunting grounds of the Turks.

Tseng didn't recall all of his semi-conscious wandering through the sector three slums that had eventually led him here. But he recognized his surroundings, knew that he hadn't gotten too far from the place where he'd left most of his attackers lying in their own blood. A warning to their friends - never underestimate a Turk, not even a wounded one.

Tseng collected his strength and pushed himself to his feet, his back never leaving the comfort of the solid wall supporting it. He trusted neither the strength of his legs nor his sense of balance just yet. When he found that the world didn't actually lurch sideways and his legs didn't buckle beneath him he took his first cautious steps away from the wall. Stopping only to make sure he had his gun.

It would be a tedious walk back to the ShinRa elevator and the top plate.

-

Dark Nation had led them on, presumably following the road Tseng had taken, at least judging from the blood splatters that dotted the ground in infrequent intervals. They had stopped to investigate a couple of dumpsters behind which blood coated most of the building's wall. Much as of someone heavily wounded had rested there, or waited. Blood also coated the ground in front of the dumpsters, too much to be shed by a single person.

People had died here.

But no traces remained of them safe for the large quantity of body liquid. No bodies lay here, no guns, nothing. Reno compulsively kicked the closest dumpster. Once again they had found new pieces of the puzzle but the corners were still missing.

At least they knew that Tseng had come out on top of whatever had happened here. The only footprints leaving away from this gory spectacle were of an injured person leaning heavily against the wall and Dark Nation seemed confident that they belonged to the Wuataian.

Rufus allowed himself a short moment to relax. It was nothing short of what he'd expect from his composed head Turk but still it felt reassuring to know that he'd survived yet another battle. Now all they had to do was find him.

"Sir, you should take a look at this." Rude was crouching next to the dumpster that Reno had so viciously attacked recently and held a small electronic device. Rufus wordlessly accepted the cell phone noting that it was a standard ShinRa model, most likely Tseng's. Blood smears coated the machine, covering most of the screen and made it nearly unreadable. But it was working and when the screen flashed back to life after pressing a few buttons there was the message Tseng had left for them.

Rufus could feel Reno stiffen behind him, where the unrestrained Turk had hovered to look over his shoulder. His two companions caught the movement just as Rufus did but they just directed questioning glances at the vice president, waiting for him to share the information.

Rufus smirked and handed the cell phone to Reno, unwilling to pocket the bloody device in his own pristine white coat. They'd need it for future residence. Leave it to Tseng to retrieve and distribute the information of the whereabouts of the terrorist's hide-out, no matter in what condition. He didn't say anything else on the matter, for now the mission was still to find the Wutaian and get him home. The Turks could deal with the terrorists after that.

Judging from the way Reno fingered his weapon and kept glancing in the direction indicated by Tseng's coordinates, they'd be very willing to be assigned_ that_ mission.

But for now Rufus turned to once more follow the directions his loyal Panther Hound had indicated for them noticing how Elena once more caught up with him to provide his safety as Reno told Rude all about the note left by their leader.

They hadn't taken more than a couple of steps before a sudden explosion ripped through the silence of the street and a bullet whizzed by, inches from Elena's face. It was followed by many more as the street drowned in the noise of ceaseless gunfire.

TBC

* * *

_A/N: this chapter is dedicated to needleholehalo, whose review was short but still got me to change the outline of this chapter to include Tseng _

_ and thanks to everyone else who's reviewed, you make my day!_

_ I'll try and update again next week but with mini-exams and a trip to Tallinn tomorrow I'm not sure if I'll manage. Reviews are of course a certified bribe and very much . appreciated :o)_


	5. getting in trouble

**Terror**

**Chapter 5: getting in trouble**

The quiet, seemingly deserted sector three slums had turned into a battlefield in an instant. The explosion had ripped one of the walls of an adjacent building to shreds causing plaster and bricks to rain down on anyone caught in the street.

The three Turks and their future employer had retreated towards the walls as they tried to find cover from the bullets that cut through the air. The explosion had generated an impenetrable smoke cloud that lifted only gradually from the surroundings and although it provided them with cover it also made the task of locating their attackers nigh impossible.

Reno willed his eyes to penetrate the thick fog searching for the other members of their little group. As the second in command of the Turks he couldn't really go and trash those terrorists without making sure the vice president was safe first. Oh but his fingers were itching to finally get closer to those foolish villains.

As the cloud of debris and fumes lifted off the ground the gunfire ceased. 'Finally realized that you can't shoot what you don't see?' Reno scoffed at the apparent folly of their attackers. It seemed they had no experience in ambushes at all.

Thick tendrils of smoke still hung in the air above their heads, but close to the ground the sight was relatively unhindered. Reno finally made out Rufus, still guarded by Elena and huddling against a house wall further down the street. Before the redhead could turn around to look for Rude, his silent partner had already made his way over to him. Together they scurried over to the two blondes. The smoke cover would not last forever and it was time to take action against their assailants.

"Alright, I have a plan, yo." Reno crouched down by the house wall next to the others. "You, boss and Elena will take cover in that opened up building over there", he gestured vaguely into the direction of the earlier explosion, "while Rude and me take out those guys."

"That's your whole plan?" Rufus raised an eyebrow at the flamboyant Turk. "It seems to be lacking some details."

"I'll make those up as I get to them, yo." And Reno flashed his trademark grin that left no room for further questions.

The young vice president found himself wondering just how Tseng had retained his sanity against such odds. But he didn't have too long to ponder that question, Elena obviously agreed with Reno, or just acted according to the chain of command, either way she had taken hold of his sleeve and was pulling him along and over to the half-destroyed building.

Bullets once again filled the air as the wisps of smoke above them grew thinner and allowed their attackers more accurate shots. There was no doubt about it now; the terrorists were atop the roofs using the elevated position as an advantage. But Reno had already spotted the fire ladder of the concerned building; they wouldn't be alone up there for long.

Their assailants seemed to be shooting at everything that moved which right now meant Elena and Rufus. They wouldn't get a clear shot on them though - Elena would make sure of that. Yet the terrorists were momentarily distracted and Reno used that chance to reach the ladder.

He nimbly climbed the metal construction, never relinquishing his hold on the EMR which was powered up and ready, just like its user. Gaining the rooftop he drew himself over the edge in one fluent movement and threw himself onto his startled opponents.

His electric rod flared to live and the first terrorist was down, unconscious before he even hit the ground. The remaining two spun their guns around but Reno had already crossed the small distance separating them. He ducked beneath an outstretched gun arm coming back up to be face to face with his second opponent. An evil smirk, an electric jolt and a small shove later the terrorist tumbled of the rooftop with a startled yelp.

Reno turned around to face his last attacker and found himself staring into the business end of the man's gun. He hadn't been fast enough. But the terrorist was hesitating; maybe the sudden demise of his comrades had shocked him enough to doubt his ability to take the unpredictable redhead out, even when the odds were in his favor. It seemed as if he wanted to bargain his way out of the current situation.

The sudden sound of static reached Reno's ears as a small device on his attacker's belt made itself known. The man was about to look at the curious object but thought better of it in the last moment. He wouldn't be stupid enough to take his eyes of the redheaded menace in front of him. His hostage hadn't moved but there was a disturbingly mischievous look on his face; before the man had any more opportunity to puzzle about that fact a strong blow to the back of his head made him crumble to the ground in an undignified heap.

"Man Rude, what took you so long, yo?" The bald Turk didn't bother to answer his partner. Instead he bent down to retrieve the still squawking machine from their assailant's belt.

It turned out to be some sort of PHS, still calling for attention. Reno snatched the device from his partner and flicked the switch at the side of the device. The static subsided to be replaced by the angry voice of a man: "What took you so long Belok? We got the brat and his protector so get your puny asses down here, we're leaving!"

The Turks exchanged a worried glance - they had a good idea of who the man was talking about.

"Belok? Answer me!" The voice started to sound insecure now probably catching on to the fact that Belok wasn't the one listening to him and that he wouldn't receive an answer either. A muffled curse resounded from the PHS before it went back to emitting only random noise.

Just when things had started to look up for the Turks they now had to face a whole new series of problems.

TBC

_AN: I sincerely apologize for the shortness of this chapter and for the crappy quality. But I'll have another exam tomorrow and wasn't sure I'd update this week at all, but since I got some lovely reviews (you are all great, I love you guys ) I decided to do my best and give you an update. So here it is, I hope you enjoy it. :o)_

_Tell me what you think._

_--Oh and on another note I am in need of two more random names for my terrorists, I'll dedicate the next chapter and a cyber cookie or two to whoever suggests the best ones ;o)_


	6. getting caught

**Terror**

**Chapter 6: getting**** caught**

Rufus watched dispassionately as the disgustingly dirty man in front of him cursed vehemently before flipping his phone shut and in a fit of rage tossed it across the room. He took the opportunity to follow the movement of the device with his eyes only as a means to inauspiciously catch a glance of the other gun wielding attackers that had them circled.

There were four of them, each equipped with simple fire arms, they didn't seem to wield magic of any kind - no materia were visible. Judging by the look of their attackers they simply lacked the money to obtain more powerful weapons. But Rufus knew that these simpler weapons could prove just as deadly as their flashy siblings which Reno loved so much. Elena knew that, too, the young woman had given up trying to shield him from every attacker at once and was now instead pointing her gun at the obvious leader of the group, stalling for time - nothing more - it was only a matter of moments before she would have to surrender her gun.

"Alright, drop it, Missy!" The leader looked at her over his impressive rifle, subtly inclining his head to indicate the other members of his team, in case Elena would have failed to notice them. The blond Turk stayed calm and composed but did as she was told. There were four of them and her highest priority was to ascertain the safety and well being of the young ShinRa heir. Tseng wouldn't approve of any foolish actions that she might feel inclined to commit. Still, she craved to ram the 'Missy' down the fat leader's throat.

Rufus behind her was silent and betraying no emotion, as usual. A vague sense of being disgusted of their attackers' untidiness was the only noticeable reaction to their current situation. Elena wished she could guard her emotions that well, but her anger at her own mistake, Reno's questionable plan and the terrorists' arrogance probably showed clearly on her face.

"Kromek, Rogar, secure the entrance! Don't let those other two suits past you! Leto, check the rest of the building, make sure there won't be any surprise visits through alternate routes. We have the chance to take out all of that Turk scum at once, and get a nice little reward for the ShinRa brat on top of that." A nasty grin crossed the leader's face. He and his accomplices seemed very sure of their victory. Together with his fourth crony he escorted his hostages towards the corner of the room.

Shielded on two sites by the windowless walls and guarded by armed terrorists, Elena had to acknowledge they were truly trapped. She could not see everything of the vast ground floor of what must have once been a storage building, but their attackers seemed to have thought of everything. Reno and Rude would have a hard time coming to their aid.

-

Up on the roof tops of the crumbling buildings, the red haired Turk tried to make his way over towards the house inside which his partner and his boss were kept as hostages. It was a tedious task to climb across the old roof constructions, half rotten by decay and – the closer he got to the earlier explosion – strewn with debris.

When he reached the building adjacent to his intended goal, he finally got a glimpse of the situation. The former storage house seemed to consist of little else than a vast ground floor, there might have been a wooden second floor at some point, but now only rotten planks on the ground and stairs leading into thin air were left of that.

The earlier explosion had ripped the majority of the front wall and a part of the roof off the building. He wouldn't be able to enter from up here. But at least he could make out most of the terrorists from up here.

'Let's see, that's two at the entrance and two guarding Elena and the kid.' He switched his gaze towards the street, trying to make out the bulky shape of Rude. He couldn't use his PHS in the slums so instead the redhead gestured towards his tall colleague. Transmitting the Intel in sign language, adding that there might very well be more terrorists around, inside the house or prowling the streets of the slums.

Having told Rude to wait for him, Reno made his way down to the street. He couldn't do much from above and their chances were better in a combined attack. But after seeing the situation in detail he knew that their chances were slim anyway.

-

Blood pounded in his ears and pain raced through his arm with every step he took. Tseng made slow, steady progress but he knew that he wouldn't be able to hold up even this sluggish pace for much longer. He needed a break - and soon.

He tried to block out the sharp pain he felt from his wound, trying to focus all of his attention on the deserted streets. But it was getting increasingly impossible. Yet, Tseng hesitated to pause; if more of the terrorists were around he'd like to be the one with the element of surprise on his side. Furthermore he wasn't certain that he would be able to continue on, once he chose to allow his body the break it called for.

The way back to the pillar and thus the emergency elevator and staircase would lead him close to the place of the initial assault. The place of his failure - where he had had to pay the price for his own over-confidence. Anger cursed through him at that thought, he had been taken down like a rookie. Tseng made a mental note to give in to Reno's persistent complaints and participate in a sparring match or two with the energetic red head. It might serve the double purpose of shutting Reno up for a while.

The mix of anger and determination drove Tseng on as he continued to deprive his body of its rest. There would be time for healing once he got back to the top plate and the state of the art ShinRa hospital.

Should he ever get there. Tseng froze as he heard soft footfalls approaching him. He retreated close to the nearest wall, using the scarce cover its shadows provided as best as he could while he tried to make out the directions the sounds were coming from. Once more he checked his weapon, the safety was released and the cold steel felt reassuring in his weak grip.

Melting into the shadows he waited for his pursuer.

TBC

_AN: I apologize for the long delay, I know the chapter is short and overdue. But I am already writing the next and after that it's only the epilogue remaining :) If you're not too upset please send me a review and telol me what you think, pretty please._

_And special thanks to , needleholehalo and rivendellelve, tasty cybercookies and many thanks for you. If you still remember the names you made up you can find them in this chapter :)_


	7. getting out

**Terror**

**Chapter 7: getting**** out**

Reno and Rude were still watching the store house from the streets. Hidden in the shadows, the Turks' faithful allies they tried and failed to find a way out of their current situation. The only positive side of their predicament was that all remaining terrorists were inside that building. They had seen none guarding the perimeter or patrolling the streets.

Reno swore something nasty as his gaze wandered over to the house for the tenth time that minute. They were running out of time.

"We can't blow it up because Elena and Rufus are still in there, can't charge right in because they hold them at point blank range, come on Rude, think!" Reno was agitated and dangerously close to losing his professional cool, Rude knew this, but he had no ideas how to solve this situation either. He placed one of is gloved hands on Reno's shoulder lest the redhead would start pacing and give their position away.

But there wasn't much else he could do; the main entrance was guarded, so was the small rift in the side of the building they had discovered. It could not be seen from the hostages point of view as it was shielded by the half-fallen stairs, but the entrance was thin a stealthy attack with big speed would be impossible. The distance between entrance and hostages was too big to try taking them on in one all out attack and the lives of their coworker and the company's heir were at stake.

They needed help. Help they wouldn't get with their phones out of cell range. If they had taken Belok's electronic calling device, they may have been able to contact the leader of their adversaries and struck up some negotiations. However, Reno had destroyed the machine in a fit of anger that had at least given him short-lived satisfaction. He wasn't very good at negotiations anyway, or Tseng would allow him the exra days off for 'reconnaissance' that he liked to ask for.

The thought of their Wutaian leader came unbidden, but brought with it a lot of bitterness. They still hadn't found him, had completely failed their rescue mission and only succeeded in putting their vice president in danger. Rightfully the Turks should have dealt with those terrorists swiftly, should have repaid tenfold whatever they might have done to Tseng and then bring the stoic Wutaian home.

But instead they were stuck in a desperate situation, without any real options.

"Any movement from inside yet?" Reno had dropped his trademark 'yo' at the end of his sentences – another indicator of the emotional strain.

Rude shook his head.

"All this waiting is making me crazy; I opt for a sneak attack." Reno had already readied his EMR, he wasn't joking. And while Rude preferred a safer option there was none to be had. The terrorists seemed content with waiting for the Turks' move, confident in having the upper hand in this struggle.

Their only hope would be that they would be fast enough - and that the terrorists would hesitate shooting an important hostage like Rufus Shinra. Rude reluctantly nodded his head.

"Alright."

-

"Any movement?" the terrorist leader asked from his front guards. They had been on constant alert, sweeping the streets for any sign of enemy movement but so far failed to detect those they were looking for.

"Maybe they retreated?" Kromek asked tentatively, there was an unmistakable tone of relieve in his voice. "Or they were injured or killed in their attack on Belok."

Before the thought could infest his other cronies and let them become careless, he bellowed at Kromek: "Fool! Those are Turks out there; they are just waiting for the right opportunity to strike."

The subordinate shrunk visibly under the harsh rebuke, but it had the wished effect, all other guards went back to full alert. The leader turned back to his hostages, a nasty smile on his face.

"It is about time I start thinking about what to do to you, I mean with you." he corrected unconvincingly. "As long as your annoying friends are out there we can't really leave here with you. This would be a real pity, because if we have to run for it, we would have to kill you first. It would be a pitiful waste of ransom money, but a nice symbol for all anti ShinRa groups." He let the words sink in; wanting to make sure they understood that he had no scruples killing them on the spot.

Letting the rifle glide into its holster at his leg the dirty man drew a long knife from his belt and watched it intently. "It might be easiest to just lure them out somehow."

He gazed at Elena intently measuring her potential to be a threat to him should he get close. Apparently satisfied with the result he stepped towards her, raising the knife towards her face. The blond Turk made no move nor did she betray any fear towards the approaching man, her features finally in control as she had wanted them to be earlier.

The leader was not perturbed by that, while Rufus was still held at bay by his henchman he held the knife to Elena's throat. "Scream for me, Missy!"

-

Reno and Rude had crept towards the house, positioning themselves just behind the guards. When they heard he silent words of the terrorists' leader float towards them they knew that now was the time to strike. Inaction would only result in further harm to the hostages or their own capture. Without a spoken command they attacked at the same time, intent on felling their opponents with a single blow to move on to their fat, dirty leader.

Two solid punches to the back of the guards' heads dealt with them quickly, the sound of bodies hitting the floor seemed loud to the Turks' strained ears. And it proved to be too loud. The leader had spotted their attack and spun around o position himself behind Elena, pressing the knife firmly to her throat. His helper moved closer towards Rufus, preventing any escape attempt by focusing his weapon's sole attention on the young blonde.

"Drop your weapons, scum!" The terrorist leader barked. There was unmistakable glee in his voice, his victory was complete. With yesterday's ambush and today's tactics he had taken all the Turks off the streets for good. AVALANCHE was nothing compared to his command. He could already feel the appreciation he'd receive for his deeds, could already hear the sound of good hard money in his pouch that he would get for the Alex Shinra's brat.

Satisfied he watched as the redheaded Turk dropped his weapons, the bald one seemed unarmed. "Leto!" he called, "take their weapons and escort them over here, they must be dying to reunite with their friends." The fat man laughed at his bad pun, but when no reaction came from the terrorist guarding the small side entrance he stopped. Dragging Elena with him, he moved forward until he was able to look past the broken stairway towards the guard's station.

A gunshot rung out in the big hall, the terrorist leader dropped to the ground behind a startled Elena. A precise shot had split his forehead open and killed him before he even hit the floor. The last terrorist spun around at the sound of the automatic weapon firing. Taking the rifle away from Rufus proved to be a costly mistake. Dark Nation tore out of the shadows under the stair way and lunged at the man. Razor sharp teeth tore into his arms and face, tearing into flesh and opening gruesome wounds. The man tore free with strength born from panic, but his escape route let past Reno - and ended there.

Elena still hadn't moved from her position next to the stairs, her gaze was fixed on the barely man-sized entrance in the side wall. Heavy-lidded but clearly slanted eyes looked back at her, and broke the spell that seemingly had her transfixed.

"Tseng!" Elena rushed towards her superior, closely followed by Rufus and the other Turks.

"Boss! Good timing, yo!" Reno acknowledged, lazily placing his EMR across his shoulders as if saying he could have done it himself. Without breaking much of a sweat – probably.

None of the Turks chose to comment on their leaders beaten up state. The Wutaian was breathing heavily, leaning against the wall for additional support. His shoulder wound was bleeding freely again, probably opened by the force of his weapon's recoil.

But the job was done, the terrorists taken care of and the vice president safe.

The mission came first.

But now that the mission was over it was time to take their leader home - and to a hospital.

-

To be concluded

-------------------------------------------------

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed and special thanks to rivendellelve and needleholehalo for the continued support of this story. Only the epilogue to go and it won't take long, I promise :)

Please just press the small button and tell me what you thought of the story or the chapter, it really helps :)


	8. epilogue

**Terror**

**Epilogue**

It had been a long, trying day. No one had expected this level of organization or careful planning in a simple terrorist group. The opponents of the ShinRa electrical Power Company were starting to become more organized, more of a threat.

Taking them lightly could cost them dearly, it almost had today.

If Dark Nation hadn't found him on that deserted slum street and taken him to the site of the attack, who knows how everything may have ended. He remembered how the big feline had followed him in the murky area, setting his senses on alert and almost getting a point blank shot to the head for its troubles. He had been pleasantly surprised to uncover the nature of his pursuer, but his relief had been short lived when he noticed the blood marring the dark fur of Dark Nation.

Cold anger had swept through him at the thought that his fellow Turks and Dark Nation's owner may have encountered danger while looking for him. A short command had send Dark Nation off to show Tseng the way to the fight, but even putting a round between the bulky leader of the terrorists hadn't completely cooled his anger. Those Terrorists had come too close to achieving their goal.

Yes, the situation needed to be brought to Alex Shinra's and Heidegger's attention. It was tempting, the thought of letting SOLDIER deal with that particular threat. Keep the Turks out of what would eventually be an all-out war between ShinRa and its enemies. The blue-suited ShinRa agents were better suited for recon and disposable missions. Or as the public rightfully called it, spying and assassinating.

Yes, it was tempting to leave the matters of the anti-ShinRa movements that were growing all over the planet, to the blunt methods of SOLDIER. And Tseng had no doubt that Heidegger would demand his Mako-fueled fighters would be assigned that duty anyway as soon as he heard of the failure of today's Turk mission.

Like many department chiefs of the ShinRa company the fat commander of SOLDIER had little liking for the Turks and their way of operating. This was partly owed to the fact that the Turks were the ones called for when it was necessary to settle inner company affairs – permanently.

It would be no pleasure, reporting today's events to the vultures that were ShinRa's higher ups. It would be even harder to keep the dealings with terrorists a Turk affair – actually it would be hard enough to secure their next paychecks.

Rufus ShinRa had asked him to try anyway. The Turk trained vice-president liked to rely on the special division's stealth and secrecy in their dealings in the open. Contrary to his father, the young man cared about the public opinion about the company that he would one day make his own. Strike fear into the hearts of the terrorists, yet appear uninvolved in their sudden demise. A strength of the Turks that the brute standing army of ShinRa could never hope to match.

So here Tseng was, stranded in his office once more, stuck behind the big oak desk covered in paperwork that was his workplace. The night sky was dark and starless, filled with the green glow of the ShinRa energy stream that rushed through the city every time of the day, sustaining it with life and light.

Ever since the situation in the old sector three slums had been taken care of, he had remained stubbornly awake, unwilling to show any more weakness than he'd already had. Getting himself shot in the slums was still something he had only his own inattention to blame for, and he had refused himself rest until he had finished the report for today's mission and thought of a strategy for the department head's meeting the day after tomorrow.

So he had walked under his own power alongside his fellow Turks, finally reaching the top plate where they took him to the ShinRa hospital. He even had enough energy left to glower at the doctors, making sure they understood just how unnecessary and irritating he thought they were. Shrugging of the doctors' orders to take some rest and carry his arm in a sling, he had left the hospital the moment they had caved to his determination to get out and released him.

It was less a show put up for his fellow Turks and his vice president as a proof to himself that however close it had been today, he was not nearly defeated by that bunch of terrorists. Prove that however much the opponents of ShinRa tried, they would never get the better of the Turks.

It was unnecessary to put up a show for his fellow Turks, not only did they have enough experience to see right through him, but they also were so much more than coworkers, friends proved by fire and tested in combat. The Turks were the closest thing to a family any of them had ever known.

After leaving the hospital Elena had offered their help in bringing him home, but Reno had announced he was going to a bar and would take her and Rude with him, before Tseng would have to think of a reply for the well-meant but currently unwanted offer. For all his irresponsible and erratic behavior, Reno knew to make the right decisions at the right time. There was little Tseng wanted less right now than go home, but he would have had a hard time explaining that to the blond rookie.

Reno would be happy that his maneuver to get his boss some space served the double purpose of getting wasted on company time.

Tseng tried to shake off those musings and focus on his report. There was still a lot to do, a lot to sugar coat and put into simple words so that the simple minded fool Heidegger would understand it, but he refused to get rest before it was done. He stopped writing for a moment to massage his stiff gun arm. The muscles were knotting up and pain slowly crawled back into the wounded limb. The painkillers were wearing off. It would be a long night.

-

It was the wee hours of night when Rude came in to the office to check on Tseng and found him asleep on the big leather couch situated in the Wutaian's office.

Elena had been there shortly past midnight and Reno chanced a glance though the top level window just before sunrise. Rufus did not make a special visit to check up on the leader of his most trusted agents and old friend, but Dark Nation was asleep next to the couch presumably on its master's orders.

The End

_AN: There! It is finished :) I'm sorry for the very long delay in between but at least it is completed now. And if you have some time and you liked the story please review, it'd really mean a lot to know how you liked it. _

_Thanks for reading I hope enjoyed it :)_

_-sehellys_


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